Homeward Bound
by Caden29
Summary: The Doc could never turn down a challenge. It wasn't her fault the boys didn't notice the smirk. Post S2-13.


"Val, are we on?"

Valerie sent a dark look to the Captain of Nathan James as he continued to hover over her shoulder. "We won't be if you don't back off Commander Slattery." She replied tartly.

Mike returned her look but backed off as she continued to fiddle with the wires hooked into the laptop perched on the back of his motorbike. He wanted to check in with Tom before they left the relative safety of the long gun on the deck of his ship. _His ship_. He pushed down the duel feelings of excitement and disquiet that racked him at the thought. Getting his own command had been a long term goal for many years but he couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness as he walked the p-ways of the James. Tom was the rightful Captain of Nathan James and that thought kept him from fully embracing it.

 _It will fade, Mike_. _Captain Chandler turned over command of the James to you, knowing you would do her proud. I feel just as safe on her as I did with him_. Rachel's voice whispered through his head.

Mike smiled a little as a bit of his self-confidence came back to him. It had surprised him that they had become such good friends in the time the James had left port a few weeks ago. He had always been impressed with her courage and strength but she had surpassed that in the struggle to recover from her gunshot wound. The bullet had hit her right collar bone, breaking it as it took the impact from the blow. It had taken many months of recovery but her strength hadn't faded. By the time she was mostly healed the James had been ready for her after the ship's repairs.

And in many ways the location of the shot had saved her life. Doc Rios had managed to dig it out without further injury to the bone and blood loss had been the most important factor in stabilizing her. She's had no shortage of volunteers for a blood drive too. Crew members had flooded the p-way that passed by the medbay, demanding to give blood to help their doc. He and Tom had spent most of that horrible night booting them out of the walkway as Doc's Rios and Milkowsey had feverishly worked to save her life.

Mike shoved away the memory of Tom racing down the stairs of the hotel clutching Rachel to him as blood poured down her side. That was a night both he and his best friend would much rather forget.

"Commander?" Val's soft question jolted him out of his ruminations and he glanced at her. The understanding was reflected in her eyes as she nudged him in the arm.

"The Captain is waiting for you." Startled, his eyes whipped down to meet sea blue ones as a silver eyebrow arched in question.

"Sorry about that sir. I was woolgathering for a moment."

Tom simply nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "Understandable, Commander. It's been a few hectic weeks for all of us. Sit-rep on your current location."

"The James is currently stationed a few miles out from South Padre so we're current on the established time range. We'll spend two weeks here making inroads all the way up to Laredo spreading the cure in both directions. After that we make for the border." Grim expressions crossed both men's faces. Neither one had wanted to go in that direction as even before the Red Flu the border had been a hot zone. But the President had ordered it and so they would follow…but very carefully.

"How's Dr. Scott holding up?"

Mike tilted his head and made a considering sound as he debated on what to tell the Captain.

"All of it Mike. Or at least what you know she won't object to. I haven't missed the way you both have become very good friends." The Commander eyed his best friend as different emotions swept over Tom's face. To anyone else they would have just seen an impassive face but after knowing the man so long Mike could see what others wouldn't.

Longing. Jealousy. Resignation.

 _But jealousy over what? Over their friendship or the fact Tom couldn't be here_? Mike knew the promotion order from the President had hit Tom hard. The Seal wasn't a paper pusher and was chafing hard at the forced stillness. The only benefit that had come from it was the opportunity to have his children with him again.

"She's doing better Tom." He finally said quietly. "The Doc is taking to the combat lessons very well."

The sudden snort from Valerie as she adjusted the signal dish just a little made both Naval men glance at her. "That's putting it lightly Commander and you know it." She said dryly.

"Would you care to elaborate on that Valkyrie?" Tom arched both his eyebrows at her as a mischievous express lit her face.

"She put Wolf in the dirt a few days ago. The Doc then spent the rest of the day crowing about it while her teacher looked pleased. I'm no expert but based on her progress she's taking to it like a duck takes to water."

Mike suddenly laughed out loud as he remembered the spar. "The look of surprise on his face when she flipped him is not one I'll likely forget!" Valarie laughed with him as she remembered it too.

"She's doing better Tom," he repeated when they managed to control themselves a moment later. "They're teaching her how to operate a motorbike right now."

The Naval men then continued their debriefing on the current mission of the James as Valerie kept a careful watch on the signal strength for several minutes. The sudden noise of a snapping tree branch in front of them made Val and Mike glance up in alarm.

The sight that met them made Valerie howl with laughter as Mike's mouth fell open in shock. "That's a very good look for you Dr. Scott!" She managed to get out as she bent forward to hold her stomach.

Dr. Rachel Scott just grinned through the mud streaks that splashed up her face as she approached the pair. The rest of her clothing was also streaked with mud but that didn't compare to the three sheepish looking men that followed after her. They were caked head to toe in mud that was starting to crack as it dried on their faces.

Miller made a face as he tried to scrape it off his cheeks but it was still too wet.

"The boys challenged me to a race. They lived to regret that."

Wolf started to chuckle as he leveled a finger at her and shook it as they joined her behind the camera mounted on the laptop. "Now Doc, don't lie. You let us believe you'd never been on a motorbike. That display you just gave us states pretty clearly you've raced before."

Rachel shot Mike a bright grin when his mouth snapped shut. He just covered his face with his hands as a voice demanded from the screen, "Well, now I have to see this." He dropped his hands from his face in just enough time to catch the look of delight that crossed the doctor's face when she recognized the voice.

Quickly rounding the screen, Rachel called out warmly, "Tom! It's been a coon's age since we last spoke." The chuckles that burst out of the Captain at the sight of Rachel and her words sent warmth running through her.

"Coon's age, Rach? Who's been giving you that vernacular?" The grin he sent her was bright as he leaned forward to the screen. "You can thank Lt. Miller for that. They were aghast at the gaps in my cultural awareness so it's spawned attempts by the crew to get me to say certain words. From what I understand, the bets involve candy bars as a reward when I say certain phrases."

Three crew members shifted guiltily under the look Mike gave them. Rachel shot him a look when he turned that look to her. "Oh don't give me that look Commander, I get half the booty."

"Yes!" Burk hissed as he fist pumped the air. "Thanks Doc." He leaned over the laptop and high fived her, nudging a sulky looking Miller in the arm. Mike raised an eyebrow at her as the Captain snorted as a large piece of mud flaked off onto the keyboard. "It doesn't count if I say another word after that." She replied with amusement.

"Now I'm dying with curiosity. Come around and let me see you gentlemen."

Miller, Burk and Wolf sheepishly came around as Rachel moved to the slide. The laughter that roared out from the screen made all of them smile as their Captain traced his eyes over all three men. "So you challenged her to a race and lost apparently. It looks like she thoroughly schooled you." He finally said as the laughter faded into chuckles.

"Well I for one would like to lodge a protest. She did not inform us beforehand that she already knew how to ride." Wolf was laughing as he said it and Miller faked a serious expression as he nodded firmly. "Though the amused expression on her face should have clued us in."

Mike shook his head as he finally gave into laughter from his position next to Rachel. "Alright you three, so hose yourselves off. We leave in 15 mics." The three men called out acknowledgement before racing off to get cleaned up.

"I should go as well. I don't have as much to scrape off but you need to finish up with the Captain." Rachel moved back into view of the camera and sent the man behind it a gentle smile. "It was wonderful to see you again Tom."

Tom's eyes traced over her face before he returned softly, "Be safe. Listen to Mike and I'll see you soon."

Giving him one last smile, Rachel turned and made her way after her three friends in the distance.

Mike's eyebrows had risen steadily at the exchange, and he gave his friend a curious look. He knew both of them had patched up their friendship after the Neils debacle in the time she had been recuperating from her wound. But what he just saw made suspicions form in his mind about both of them. Tom simply shook his head and sighed as he leaned back in his seat.

"We'll keep her safe, sir." Mike finally said.

"I'm holding you to that Commander." Tom returned quietly.


End file.
